1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape printing apparatus having a half-cutting function capable of cutting only an image-receiving layer of a tape-shaped member comprised of the image-receiving layer and a peel layer in the direction of the width thereof, by using a half cutter, and a method therefor, and a cutting device capable of cutting a tape-shaped member by using a tape cutter and a method therefor, as well as a tape printing apparatus incorporating the cutting device.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a half-cutting device which has a capability of cutting only an image-receiving layer of a tape-shaped member comprised of the image-receiving layer and a peel layer, so as to make it easy to peel off the peel layer. For instance, a cutting device for a label printer, as proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-314938, has a first cutting blade for use in cutting only the peel layer and a second cutting blade for use in cutting only the image-receiving layer. This cutting device is capable of performing half-cutting and through-cutting as required by driving either or both of the cutting blades.
Usually, devices of the above-mentioned kind, which are capable of performing half-cutting, can employ not only tape-shaped members comprised of an image-receiving layer and a peel layer but also various kinds of print mediums. Depending on the print medium, however, it is sometimes no use or impossible to carry out half-cutting. For instance, when a print medium, such as a transfer tape or the like, formed of only one layer is used, it is no use to carry out half-cutting of the print medium since the medium has no peel layer. Further, when a print medium having a magnetic layer is used, the cutting blade of the device can be damaged by a half-cutting operation (also by a through-cutting operation), so that the print medium has to be cut by using scissors.
However, even when such print mediums as mentioned above which are obviously unsuitable for half-cutting are used, it has been conventionally necessary to carry out selection between the half-cutting method and the through-cutting method, in case of need of cutting the mediums. This is troublesome. Further, the two cutting methods require different cutting operations, which is also troublesome and inconvenient to users.
There have been also proposed tape printing apparatuses incorporating a cutting device capable of cutting a printed portion of a tape-shaped member to a desired length. These tape printing apparatuses can automatically cut a tape-shaped member to be delivered therefrom as printing operation proceeds, in a proper timing corresponding to a tape length calculated from print data, or manually cut off a printed portion of the tape-shaped member.
These tape printing apparatuses can use tape-shaped members comprised of component parts made of various kinds of materials and having different thicknesses. Depending on the materials and thickness of the component part, however, there are some which cannot be cut or which are considered to be unsuitable for cutting by the cutting device. For instance, when a tape-shaped member having a magnetic layer is employed, the tape cutter (cutting edge thereof) is damaged if it is used in cutting the tape-shaped member. Therefore, to cut such a tape-shaped member, it is required to use scissors, which makes the cutting operation very troublesome. Further, if such an unsuitable type of tape-shaped member is unintentionally used by the user, the resulting cutting operation carried out on the tape-shaped member by mistake can damage the tape cutter of the apparatus.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a tape printing apparatus having a half-cutting function, which is capable of setting whether or not half-cutting of the tape-shaped member should be carried out, based on the detected type of the tape-shaped member, and a method therefor.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a cutting device capable of detecting the type of a tape-shaped member, and setting whether or not the tape-shaped member should be cut, based on the detected type of the tape-shaped member, a tape printing apparatus incorporating the device, and a method for the cutting device.
To attain the first object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus which has a half-cutting function capable of cutting an image-receiving layer alone of a tape-shaped member in a direction of a width thereof by using a half cutter, the tape-shaped member having the image-receiving layer and a peel layer.
The tape printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising:
printing means for printing on the tape-shaped member;
tape-detecting means for detecting a type of the tape-shaped member;
half cutter-driving setting means for setting whether or not the half cutter should be driven, based on a result of detection by the tape-detecting means; and
half-cutting means for performing half-cutting of the image-receiving layer alone of the tape-shaped member at a forward location of the tape-shaped member in a direction of feed thereof by driving the half cutter when the half cutter-driving setting means sets the half-cutter to be driven.
To attain the first object, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of printing on a tape-shaped member by a tape printing apparatus which has a half-cutting function capable of cutting an image-receiving layer alone of the tape-shaped member in a direction of a width thereof by using a half cutter, the tape-shaped member having the image-receiving layer and a peel layer.
The method according to the second aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising the steps of:
detecting a type of the tape-shaped member;
setting whether or not the half cutter should be driven, based on a result of the detection;
performing half-cutting of the image-receiving layer alone of the tape-shaped member at a forward location of the tape-shaped member in a direction of feed thereof by driving the half cutter when the half-cutter is set to be driven; and
printing on the tape-shaped member.
According to the tape printing apparatus and method, the type of a tape-shaped member is detected, and whether or not the half cutter should be driven is set based on the result of the detection. Therefore, when a tape-shaped member which requires half-cutting is detected, the half cutter is driven, whereas when a tape-shaped member which does not require half-cutting is detected, the half cutter is not driven. That is, the user does not have to set whether or not half-cutting should be performed each time it is necessary to cut the tape-shaped member. This makes it possible to simplify the setting operation.
Further, when a leading margin length can be set so as to perform the half-cutting of the leading end of a tape-shaped member, and at the same time when the leading margin length is shorter than the distance between a print head and a full cutter, it is possible to use a portion of a leading end portion of the tape-shaped member for carrying out the half-cutting of the leading end, which portion corresponds to the distance between the print head and the full cutter, which is normally cut off the tape-shaped member as an unnecessary portion. That is, a predetermined length of the tape-shaped member is not necessarily consumed for performing the half-cutting, but depending on the case, the length of a tape-shaped member which would otherwise be consumed for another reason can be made use of for the half-cutting.
Preferably, the tape-detecting means includes means for detecting whether or not the peel layer exists in the tape-shaped member, and the half cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the half cutter to be inhibited from being driven when it is detected by the tape-detecting means that the peel layer does not exist in the tape-shaped member.
Preferably, the step of detecting a type of the tape-shaped member includes detecting whether or not the peel layer exists in the tape-shaped member, and the step of whether or not the half cutter should be driven includes the step of setting the half cutter to be inhibited from being driven when it is detected that the peel layer does not exist in the tape-shaped member.
According to these preferred embodiments, when it is detected that there is no peel layer in the tape-shaped member, the half cutter is set not to be driven. Therefore, when a tape-shaped member, such as a transfer tape, is formed of only one layer, and hence requiring no half-cutting operation, and a tape-shaped member which has too thick an image-receiving layer to carry out half-cutting thereof is detected, the half cutter is not driven. In other words, when a tape-shaped member which does not require half-cutting is used, the user does not have to set whether or not the half-cutting should be performed, which makes it possible to simplify the setting operation.
Preferably, the tape printing apparatus further includes half cutter-driving instructing means for instructing whether or not the half cutter should be driven by the half-cutting means, and the halfcutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the half cutter to be inhibited from being driven irrespective of the instruction given by the half cutter-driving instructing means, when it is detected by the tape-detecting means that the peel layer does not exist in the tape-shaped member.
According to this preferred embodiment, when it is detected that there is no peel layer in the tape-shaped member, it is possible to set the half cutter to be inhibited from being driven even if an instruction for driving the cutter is given. This makes it possible to dispense with a useless cutting process, such as half-cutting of a tape-shaped member requiring no half-cutting operation.
Preferably, the tape printing apparatus further includes setting information-notifying means for notifying the user of settings set by the halfcutter-driving setting means.
According to this preferred embodiment, the tape printing apparatus includes setting information-notifying means for notifying the user of settings set by the half cutter-driving setting means, and hence when using the tape printing apparatus, the user can confirm whether or not the apparatus is set to perform half-cutting.
Preferably, the tape printing apparatus further includes display means for displaying messages for the user, and the display means includes means for displaying a message notifying the user that the settings set by the half cutter-driving setting means are changed if the settings are changed.
According to this preferred embodiment, when the settings set by the half cutter-driving setting means are changed, a message notifying the user of the fact is displayed, so that the user can visually recognize that a setting concerning whether or not half-cutting should be carried out has been made (changed).
Preferably, the display means includes means for displaying a message notifying the user that an instruction given by the half cutter-driving instructing means is made invalid, when it is detected by the tape-detecting means that the peel layer does not exist in the tape-shaped member.
According to this preferred embodiment, when it is detected that there is no peel layer in the tape-shaped member, even if an instruction for driving the half cutter is given, it is possible to display a message notifying the user that the instruction is made invalid. This enables the user to confirm that there is no peel layer in the tape-shaped member in use and recognize that the half cutter is not driven.
To attain the above first object, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus which has a half-cutting function capable of cutting a peel layer alone of a tape-shaped member in a direction of a width thereof by using a half cutter, the tape-shaped member having an image-receiving layer and the peel layer.
The tape printing apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising:
printing means for printing on the tape-shaped member;
tape-detecting means for detecting a type of the tape-shaped member;
half cutter-driving setting means for setting whether or not the half cutter should be driven, based on a result of detection by the tape-detecting means; and
half-cutting means for performing half-cutting of the peel layer alone of the tape-shaped member at a forward location of the tape-shaped member in a direction of feed thereof by driving the half cutter when the half cutter-driving setting means sets the half-cutter to be driven.
According to this tape printing apparatus, only a peel layer of a tape-shaped member can be cut in the direction of the width of the tape-shaped member which has an image-receiving layer and the peel layer, by using the half cutter. Therefore, by cutting only the peel layer, it is possible to peel off the peel layer with ease. Further, it is possible to set whether or not half-cutting should be carried out, based on a result of detection of the type of the tape-shaped member. Therefore, the user does not have to take the trouble of performing the setting operation in printing on the tape-shaped member.
To attain the above second object, according to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a cutting device which is capable of cutting a tape-shaped member by a tape cutter thereof, comprising:
tape-detecting means for detecting a type of the tape-shaped member;
tape cutter-driving setting means for setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven, based on a result of detection by the tape-detecting means; and
cutting means for cutting the tape-shaped member when the tape cutter-driving setting means sets the tape cutter to be driven.
To attain the above second object, according to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of cutting a tape-shaped member by using a tape cutter, comprising the steps of:
detecting a type of the tape-shaped member;
setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven, based on a result of the detection; and
cutting the tape-shaped member when the tape cutter is set to be driven.
According to these cutting device and cutting method, the type of the tape-shaped member is detected, and whether or not the tape cutter should be driven is set based on a result of the detection. Therefore, the user does not have to take the trouble of setting as to whether it should be cut or not depending on the type of the tape-shaped member. This makes it possible to simplify the cutting operation for cutting a tape-shaped member.
Preferably, the tape-detecting means includes means for detecting whether or not the tape-shaped member is cuttable, and the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the tape-detecting means detects that the tape-shaped member is cuttable.
Preferably, the step of detecting a type of the tape-shaped member includes detecting whether or not the tape-shaped member is cuttable, and the step of setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven includes setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the tape-shaped member is detected to be cuttable.
According to these preferred embodiments, the tape cutter is set to be driven only when the tape-shaped member is detected to be cuttable, thereby making it possible to prevent erroneous cutting of an uncuttable tape-shaped member. Further, only whether or not the tape-shaped member is cuttable is detected, and therefore it is possible to simplify the construction of an object to be detected (materials of a tape-shaped member) and the arrangement of a mechanism for detecting the object.
More preferably, the tape-detecting means includes means for detecting a thickness of the tape-shaped member, and the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the tape-detecting means detects that the thickness of the tape-shaped member is equal to or smaller than a predetermined thickness defined in advance.
More preferably, the step of detecting a type of the tape-shaped member includes detecting a thickness of the tape-shaped member, and the step of setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven includes setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the thickness of the tape-shaped member is detected to be equal to or smaller than a predetermined thickness defined in advance.
According to these preferred embodiments, the tape cutter is set to be driven only when the thickness of the tape-shaped member is detected to be equal to or smaller than a predetermined thickness defined in advance. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous cutting of a tape-shaped member having a thickness larger than the predetermined thickness. That is, it is possible to eliminate the problem that the tape cutter is caused to engage with the tape-shaped member due to the thickness of the tape-shaped member.
More preferably, the tape-detecting means includes means for detecting materials of component parts forming the tape-shaped member, and the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the materials of the component parts detected by the tape-detecting means are predetermined cuttable materials defined in advance.
More preferably, the step of detecting a type of the tape-shaped member includes detecting materials of component parts forming the tape-shaped member, and the step of setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven includes setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the materials of the component parts are detected to be predetermined cuttable materials defined in advance.
According to these preferred embodiments, the materials of component parts forming the tape-shaped member are detected, and if it is determined as a result of the detection that the materials of the component parts are predetermined cuttable materials, the tape cutter can be set to be driven. In other words, since the tape cutter is set to be driven only when materials defined on the cutting device side in advance are detected, it is possible to prevent a tape-shaped member having component parts made of uncuttable materials from being erroneously cut.
Preferably, the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be inhibited from being driven only when the materials of the component parts detected by the tape-detecting means are predetermined uncuttable materials defined in advance.
Preferably, the step of setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven includes setting the tape cutter to be inhibited from being driven only when the materials of the component parts are detected to be predetermined uncuttable materials defined in advance.
According to these preferred embodiments, when it is determined as a result of the detection of the tape-shaped member that the materials of the component parts are predetermined uncuttable materials, the tape cutter can be set not to be driven. This means that the tape cutter is set not to be driven only when materials defined (stored) in advance are detected. This makes it possible to eliminate the inconvenience that when a material, for instance, which is cuttable but not yet defined by the device since it is a newly developed material, is detected, the tape-shaped member is set not to be cut although it is comprised of component parts of cuttable materials.
Preferably, the tape-detecting means includes means for detecting a hardness of each of the component parts forming the tape-shaped member, and the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the hardness of each of the component parts detected by the tape-detecting means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined hardness defined in advance.
According to this preferred embodiment, the tape cutter can be set to be driven only when the hardness of each of the component parts forming the tape-shaped member is equal to or smaller than a predetermined hardness defined on the device side in advance. This makes it possible to prevent an erroneous cutting of a tape-shaped member including component parts having high hardness, thereby preventing the breakage and abrasion of the tape cutter.
Preferably, the tape-detecting means includes means for detecting an adhesion between the component parts forming the tape-shaped member, and the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be driven only when the adhesion of each of the component parts detected by the tape-detecting means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined adhesion value defined in advance.
According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to set the tape cutter to be driven only when the adhesion of the component parts is equal to or smaller than a predetermined adhesion value defined on the device side in advance. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous cutting of a tape-shaped member having a high adhesion, thereby preventing the cutting performance of the tape cutter from being degraded, due to adhesion of part of the tape-shaped member to the tape cutter. It should be noted that not the adhesion but the bonding strength of the tape-shaped member may be detected.
Preferably, the cutting device further includes tape cutter-driving instructing means for instructing whether or not the tape cutter should be driven, and the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven based on an instruction given by the tape cutter-driving instructing means.
According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to instruct whether or not the tape cutter should be driven. That is, it is possible to set whether or not the tape-shaped member should be cut as desired by the user.
Preferably, the tape cutter-driving setting means includes means for setting the tape cutter to be inhibited from being driven irrespective of the instruction given by the tape cutter-driving instructing means, when it is detected by the tape-detecting means that the tape-shaped member is uncuttable.
According to this preferred embodiment, when the tape-shaped member is detected to be uncuttable, the tape cutter can be set not to be driven irrespective of the instruction given by the user. That is, the tape cutter is set not to be driven even when the user erroneously instructs the device to cut the tape-shaped member. Therefore, the tape cutter can be prevented from being damaged and abraded.
Preferably, the cutting device further includes setting information-notifying means for notifying the user of information of settings set by the tape cutter-driving setting means.
According to this preferred embodiment, the user is notified of the information of settings made by the tape cutter-driving setting means. Therefore, the user can confirm whether or not the tape cutter is set to be driven while using the cutting device.
Preferably, the cutting device further includes display means for displaying messages for the user, and the display means includes means for displaying a message notifying the user that the settings by the tape cutter-driving setting means are changed if the settings are changed.
According to this preferred embodiment, when the settings made by the tape cutter-driving setting means are changed, a message notifying the user of the fact is displayed, so that the user can visually recognize that a setting concerning whether or not the tape cutter should be driven is made (changed).
Preferably, the display means includes means for displaying a message notifying the user that the instruction given by the tape cutter-driving instructing means is made invalid, when it is detected by the tape-detecting means that the tape-shaped member is uncuttable.
According to this preferred embodiment, when the tape-shaped member is detected to be uncuttable, even if an instruction for driving the tape cutter is given, a message can be displayed notifying the user that the instruction is made invalid. Therefore, the user can be informed that the tape-shaped member set for use includes uncuttable materials and that the tape cutter is not driven.
To attain the above second object, according to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided tape printing apparatus comprising:
a cutting device which is capable of cutting a tape-shaped member by a tape cutter thereof, including tape-detecting means for detecting a type of the tape-shaped member, tape cutter-driving setting means for setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven, based on a result of detection by the tape-detecting means, and cutting means for cutting the tape-shaped member when the tape cutter-driving setting means sets the tape cutter to be driven; and
a printing device for printing on the tape-shaped member.
This tape printing apparatus incorporates a cutting device which is capable of setting whether or not the tape cutter should be driven, based on a result of detection of the tape-shaped member. Therefore, the user does not have to take the trouble of performing the setting operation can be and printing can be carried out on the tape-shaped member.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.